SECRETARY OF STATE CELEBRATES START OF WORKS ON GUIDED BUSWAY

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander today welcomed the commencement of works on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway saying that, “Cambridgeshire will rightly be able to be proud of it in the years ahead.”
The Secretary of State was at the start of works ceremony and spoke to people involved in the £116.2m project that will provide high quality, reliable and frequent public transport.

Cambridgeshire County Council is building the world’s longest guided busway along a disused railway line between St Ives and Cambridge.

The Secretary of State completed the final section of concrete at the manufacturing facility, which will be used to produce the guideways for the project and said: “The scale of the Government’s investment, £92 million, shows our commitment to this project. Two years of work now lies ahead, but we believe this is an innovative public transport solution for an area where so much economic and housing growth is planned.”

The busway will provide a step change in local public transport with a dedicated and segregated route for buses to travel on away from busy local roads.

Speaking after the start of works ceremony, Councillor John Reynolds Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Services said: “We have spent many years planning and preparing for the Guided Busway. Today is a very important milestone and I am delighted to have been able to show the Secretary of State and other guests the construction site and how we are going to build the busway. It is going to be a huge operation but by moving the beams along the route on the newly laid guideway we can minimise the impact on local roads.”

The 25km busway is being paid for by the Department for Transport and developers in the area.

Three local bus companies will run services on the busway, providing a 10-minute frequency in the peak periods.

A 1.5km test section of the busway is scheduled to be completed for trials later this year. The busway will open in spring 2009.

Notes for Editors:

· Picture shows: Cambridgeshire County Councillor John Reynolds (left) and Douglas Alexander Secretary of State for Transport (right) at the start of works ceremony for the Guided Busway.

· For further information contact Kara Hill, Communications and Media Manager on 01223 718510

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